The present invention pertains to an end closure for a container and more particularly, to an end closure for a container containing grated cheese, bread crumbs or like food product for maintaining the container in a sealed condition after packaging and for opening a pour opening in the end closure upon first actuation of a first end closure part with respect to a second end closure part to permit the contents to be dispensed as needed.
Containers for food products, such as bread crumbs, grated cheese, and spices, usually include an end closure for closing the container. The end closure may include an end cap of metal or plastic affixed to the container body which may be made of paper. The bottom may be closed by a metal or plastic member secured to the container body. Usually, the end cap has one or more pour openings therein. A cover is rotatably mounted on the end cap through an opening in the end cap for selectively opening and closing a pour opening. The pour opening is often defined by a tab formed flush in the end cap and connected to the end cap by wall portions of reduced thickness. Often the end cap has perforations therein for outlining the pour opening, in addition to the opening for journalling the cover. Therefore, the container is not hermetically closed, and there is often degradation or deterioration of the food product from the time it is packed until it is sold. Shelf life is shortened or there may actually be spoilage. The end closures described above are shown generally in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,912,128 and 4,274,563.
To open the end cap, a tool or finger is inserted against the tab to break the wall portions and the tab is pushed into the container. If a finger is used, a nail of the user may be broken. In some cases, where the end cap has been made from polystyrene, particles of plastic have broken off and mixed with the contents, thereby contaminating the food with undesirable and perhaps harmful non-food matter. The tab in the container may interfere with pouring of the contents from the container. Hence, it has been suggested to provide means to prevent the tab removed from the end cap from falling into the container. As shown in Ziemann et al. 3,912,128, such means may comprise fulcrum pins securing the tab to the end cover after the reduced thickness wall has been severed. In a similar manner, Otterson 4,274,563 provides hinge pins to secure the tab to the end cover so that it can remain hinged and not drop into the contents of the container.
It is desired to improve upon such prior end closures by providing a novel end closure wherein a raised portion or tab defining the pour opening will be automatically cut and urged outwardly from the end closure upon rotation or movement of a first end closure part relative to a second end closure part. The container is adapted to be hermetically closed by the end closure before the pour opening is initially removed.
An object of the present invention is to provide an end closure wherein disadvantages and deficiencies of prior constructions are obviated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved end closure having parts movable with respect to one another for automatically severing a tab from the cover to form a pour opening, said tab being urged outwardly and severed from the cover without dropping into the contents of the container.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved end closure having a first part affixed to the container and a second part rotatable relative to said first part, said first part having a raised portion adapted to be severed to define a pour opening in said first part, and knife means on said second part for severing said raised portion during initial rotation of said second part relative to said first part and urging said severed raised portion away from said end closure so as not to drop into the container.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved end closure capable of hermetically sealing the top of the container before initial opening of the pour opening in the end cap.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved end closure having a fixed end cap with a raised portion and a rotatable cover having a knife edge for severing the raised portion when rotating in one direction and having means for precluding retrograde motion once cutting of the raised portion has begun.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made more apparent hereinafter.